The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-03-05
Stephanie hurried on, while sudden
glow of color suffused her face.

''Then fair maiden newspaper man,
Would I meet you of all the clan.
With true friendship I'd meet you,
Thrice welcome I'd greet you,
To help you all can
| II scalp the heavy-laden non-reading
man."
In the laughter that followed this,
all previous restraint was gotten over,
and good fellowship took its place.
| do not know if this young man
heard very much of the sermon that
morning. He did not think there could
be an eighth Heaven any happier than
this seventh one in which he was dwell
ling for an hour. He did not care to
look ahead. The present sufficed him.
| He insisted on showing Stephanie
the sights that afternoon, and con-
vinced her that it would be an injustice
to leave Ashville without seeing what
nature had done for her. Did she not
know that she was in the famed ''land
of the SKYE"
They sat out in good spirits behind a
pair of high stepping blacks. He
pointed out everything of interest as
they passed, with impressive eagerness.
He was proud of Ashville and was
anxious that she should like it too.
.:Now, we will drive in to our public
grounds, and have spin around the
race track" Stephanie remembered his
telling her, but after that she had only
confused recollection. He handed her
the reins as they reached large double
gate, and asked her to drive through
as he opened and closed them. The
wind was blowing strong, and one of
the gates swung out of his grasp graz.
ing sharply one of tho wheels as she
drove through. The horses sprang for
ward with a sudden, frightened plunge,
something about the harness snapped,
aud in one terrible moment Stephanie
realized that she was at tbs complete
mercy of a pair of maddened runaway
horses.
She did mol. cry out, for she realized
the futility, but she clung to the reins,
hoping nothing, fearing nothing, for
her brain refused action in that su-
preme moment. If they turned off
where second gate way led to the
race track, she foresaw no other fate
than that of being dragged to death,
for the buggy was plunging wildly
from side 10 side if they did not turn,
great high fence of plank lifted Itself
up as an impossible barrier. If-but
there was tremendous crash in which
it seemed that Heaven and earth came
together.
Quick as flash, stunned though she
was by the fall, Stephanie was on her
feet with a wild desire to get away
from the danger which menaced her in
the plunging horses, one OF which was
thrown to the ground.
A cloud of dust encompassed the
wreck of buggy and fence. AS ii cleared
away, she saw from where she had
fallen second time, her trembling
knees having refused her support, the
face of Mr.. Graves.
uThank God! !" was all he said rs he
saw she was not killed. His face was
like ashes, and his nostrils quivered as
If he had strained every nerve in a
hard race for life.
care you hurt? Can you ever for
give me?"
Stephanie rose stiffiy, still dazed, and
took his extended arm, She did not
have free use of her right side.
"OnIy stunned, think. 1t was not
your fault. Oh yes, think can walk
little. But was so frightened"
A man, the keeper of the park came
running up out of breath.
"Catch those horses" Mr.. Graves
said to him, so quietly that the man
was struck dumb with establishment
but he could see how pale the young
man was.
"Telephone to the stable for another
team. We will go in the house ant
wait for it.''
"Nobody knows what I suffered,
he said when they sat down, and HI
was still trembling as with an ague
HI think 1 have had foretaste Of boil
heaven and hell in one day"